Strap assembling apparatus



H- ALFANDRE STRAP ASSEMBLING APPARATUS Oct. 17, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 22, 1947 INVENTOR HqR/i) HLFHNQRE ATTORNEY Oct. 11, 1950 H. ALFANDR 2,526 187 STRAP ASSEMBLING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 22, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY- Oct; 17, 1950 H. ALFANDRE 2,526,187

STRAP ASSEMBLING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 22, .1947 SSheets-Sheet 3 ""aYgiw Alana TTORNEY Patented Oct. 17,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,526,187 7 STRAP ASSEMBLING APPARATUS Harry Alfandre, Jamaica, N. Y.

Application November 22, 1947, Serial No; 787,549

. 1. This invention relates to bling buckles and straps in the manufacture of adjustable straps, and especially of shoulder straps of the type used extensively in ladies undergarments. More particularly, the present invention resides in improvement upon'the apparatus shown and described in my prior Patent No. 2,091,176, dated'August24,'1937. While different types and sizes of ladies undergarments frequently require adjustable straps of varying dimensions, my referred prior apparatus is equipped for theassembly of adjustable straps of only one size, thus requiring as many apparati with numerous duplicate parts as there are straps and buckles of different sizes to be assembled.

Accordingly, it is an improvement object of the present invention to make simple provisions in my prior apparatus readily toadaptthe same for the assembly of straps and buckles of dilferent sizes,

without involving a complicated interchange of numerous parts, or requiring a skilled mechanic.

apparatus for assem- 4 Claims. (01. 223-49) replace a similar magazine of a. different size in the apparatus; Fig. is an enlarged ll3.l0 ofFig. 2; I

Figs. 11 and 12 are perspective views on an ensection takenon the line larged scale of buckles which may be assembled a bar'32 is vertically slidable.

It is another important object of the present I invention toprovide-aquickly releasable mounting for a buckle-supply magazine which of its own accord locates the magazine in unfailingly accurate coordination with a buckle transfer track,*thus dispensing'with any human agency in the imperative accurate location of the magazine.

The above and other objects, features "and advantages of the present invention will be more fully understood from the following description considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of apparatus embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the apparatus as viewed in the.direction of the arrow 2 inFig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

. when depressed by anoperator, causes lowering of the rod 42 and corresponding lowering of the,

Fig. 4 is an enlarged section taken on the line I 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section through the apparatus, taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1;

, -Fig16ls an enlarged section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2; V

Fig. '7 is a sectiontaken' on the line 'l---'l of Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is a perspectiveview of-the discharge end of a buckle-supplymagazine employed in the apparatus;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary side elevation, partly in section, of a buckle-supply magazine which may tively, of an assembled strap in which the buckles f shown in Figs. 11 and 12 are utilized.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to Figspl and 2 thereof, the reference numeral 20 designates the bed plate of the instant apparatus which is suitably secured, as by screws 22, to a bench or work table 24. Suitably mount? ed at 26 on the bedplate Ziiisan upright bracket 28, having laterally-extending arms 30 in which Bar 32 carries at its lower end a strap-threading device 34 to be described, and has a T.-shaped upper end 36 which is inserted in a. guide grooveSB in an arm 49 on arod 42! .(see also Fig. 4) Rod 42 is normallyurged by a compression spring 44 into the topmost position shown in Fig. 2, in which an adjustable collar 46 thereon bears against one of the bracket arms 30. The lower. end of rod 12 is connected by alink. 48. with a foot pedal 56 which,

strap-threading device 34 into operative position.

The strap-threading device 3.4 comprises a.

blade 52 and a 11001154, both being removably clamped in'slots 56, respectively, in a head 58 on the lower end .of bar .32 (Fig. 1). Morevparticue larly, a clamping screw 60 passes throughjaligned apertures in the blade 52 and hook 54 and is threadedly received by the head 58.

Suitably mounted on the bed plate .20, as by screws 62, is a block 64 to the top and bottom of which are pivoted at fifipairs of cooperating jaws 68 and 19, respectively. The jaws 68a and 10a on one side of the block'fi i are held against outward pivotal "movementthereon by a retainer plate I2 which is securedat 14 to the block. 64 (Fig. 1).

The opposite jaws 58b-and 102) are normally urged intothe closed position shown in Figs. 1 and 3 by the ends of a spring 15 which is suitably anchored at E8 on the block 64 (Figs; 2 and 3). Projecting from the top andv bottom surfaces of the block 64 are spaced .lugs 8i! and 82, respectively, (Figs. 3 and 6) .of whichthe lugs adjacent the jaws 63a and HM are permanently engaged by the latter, andthe opposite lugs are engaged by the jaws- 68b and 18b when the latter are in the closed pcsitionshown in Figs. 1, 3 and'6. The

opposed edges of the jaws 68 and I0, respectively, are longitudinally grooved as at 84 and 86, respectively, (Figs. 1 and 10) to serve as tracks for the different types of buckles 88 and 90, respectively (Figs. 11 and i2) that are to be assembled with straps in the present apparatus.

Mounted by screws 96 and 98 on the top and bottom lugs 80 and 82, respectively, of block 64 are brackets I and I62, respectively, which overlie the adjacent jaws 68 and I0, respectively, in the manner shown in Fig. 6 and serve for the mounting of tubular magazines I04 and I06, respectively. The magazines I04 and I06 are preferably rectangular in cross section and hold supply stacks of buckles 88 and 90, respectively. Block 64 is provided over a substantial part of itslongitudinal extent with a guide groove IIO (Figs. 1 and 6) in which is slidable a feed bar I I2, having a rearwardly extending shank H4 on which a collar H6 is held in longitudinally adjusted position by means of nuts I I8. The collar H6 is connected by a link I20 with an arm I22 of a bell crank lever I24 which is pivotally mounted at I26 on a bracket I28 that is suspended from the bed plate 20 (Fig. 2). The rear end of the shank H4 of the feed bar I I2 extends with clearance through an aperture H in a bracket II I on the bed plate (Fig. 2), thus protecting the shank II4 against appreciable bending or even breakage if the same is accidentally hit against. The other arm I30 of the bell crank lever I24 is connected by a link I32 with a foot pedal I34. Bell crank lever I24 is normally urged by a spring I36 into the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, in which the feed bar I I2 assumes the retracted or inoperative position shown in Fig. 5. On depressing foot pedal I34, the feed bar I I2 passes through its feed stroke in the direction of the arrow I40 in Fig. 5, in the course of which it transfers. in a manner hereinafter described, the foremost buckles from the magazines I04 and I06 in the tracks of the jaws 68 and I0, respectively, to an assembly station at which they are in operative alignment with the strap-threading device 34 vertically below the latter. The forward end of the feed bar I I2 is at the top and bottom thereof undercut as at I42 and I44, respectively, to provide feed shoulders I46 and I48, respectively (Fig. 5).

The discharge end of each magazine may be h constructed as shown in Fig. 8. Thus, two 0pposite side walls of either magazine may be provided at the discharge end with inwardly bent opposite ledges I50 which retain the stacked buckles in the magazine, and are spaced from the adjacent ends of the other side walls I52 of the magazine to provide a discharge gate I54 through which the foremost buckle may be removed edgewise.

The magazine-mounting brackets I00 and I02 are provided in the front with rectangular notches I56 and I58, respectively (Fig. 6), into which project, in the present illustrated example, inserts I60 and I62, respectively, that are removably mounted by screws I64 on the brackets I00 and I02, and provided for a purpose described hereinafter. The notches I56 and I58 in the brackets I00 and I02 are closed at the front by cover plates I66 and I66, respectively. The open spaces thus remaining in the notches I56 and I58 serve as sockets in which the magazines I04 and :06, respectively, fit. More particularly, the rectangular magazines I04 and I06fit their respective sockets only if so disposed that their discharge gates I54 are in alignment with, and

form continuations of, the tracks 84 and 86 of the jaws 6S and 10, respectively (Fig. 5). If so disposed, the foremost buckles in the magazines I04 and I06 are in the path of the shoulders I46 and I48, respectively, of the feed bar H2, and are transferred by these shoulders from their respective magazines in the tracks of the jaws 68 and I0, respectively, to the previously described assembly station. The magazines I04 and I06 are seated with their ledges I50 against the top and bottom surfaces I90 and I92, respectively, of the block 64 in the manner shown in Fig. 6, in order to be properly located in the brackets I00 and I02, respectively. The top and bottom surfaces of the feed bar II2 are machined away beyond and on both sides of the shoulders I46 and I49 so as to provide longitudinal ribs I and IE2, respectively (Fig. 6), which may enter between the ledges I50 at the discharge ends of the mounted magazines I04 and I06, respectively. The upper magazine I04 may conveniently be secured in its socket by a clamping screw I84 (Fig. 6).

'In my referred lprior apparatus I have also used a clamping screw in the lower magazine bracket in order to hold the magazine I06 in its socket. This compelled an operator to hold the magazine I 06 in accurately located position in its socket prior to and during the tightening of the clamping screw. However, I have found that an operator frequently failed to bring the ledges I50 at the discharge end of the lower magazine I06 into engagement with the adjacent bottom surface I92 of the block 64 while he tightened the clamping screw, with the result that the magazine was out of operative relation with the feed bar H2 and the latter either did not, or did only infrequently, transfer a buckle from the magazine into the track formed in the adjacent jaws I0. If, as usual, the clamping screw made its own center in the lower magazine I06 when the latter was incorrectly held in place in the bracket I02. any subsequent attempt to clamp the lower magazine in accurately located position was foredoomed to failure. To obviate this deficiency, and particularly to eliminate any human agencyin the accurate location of the lower magazine I 06, I now provide a tension spring I94 which normally urges the magazine I06 upwardly in its socket against the adjacent bottom surface I92 of the block 64. The spring I94 is suitably anchored with one end on a screw I98 on the bottom end of the magazine I06 (Fig. 2), and with its other end on a screw I96 which is threaded into the bracket I02 (Fig. 6). The lower magazine I06 thus always finds its own accurate level, i. e., in engagement with the bottom surface I92 of the block 64. In order to remove the lower magazine I06 from its socket, it is merely necessary to release the same from the spring I94. v

In order to assure that the buckles 88 in the top magazine I04 advance toward the discharge end thereof every time a buckle is removed therefrom by the feed bar II2, the gravity of the stacked buckles is augmented by that of a bar 200 which fits into the upper end of the magazine and rests on the buckles therein in the fashion shownin Fig, 5. Bar 200 is preferably made of solid metal stock. Likewise, the stacked buckles in the lower magazine I06 are urged upwardly toward the discharge end thereof by a springurged plunger 202 (Fig. 5).

While the mounted inserts I60 and I62 in the 'notches I56 and I58 of the brackets I00 and I02,

respectively, serve for the purpose of sizing these notches so that they may fittedly receive the a the notches I56 and; I58, respectively, to their original sizes which are such as fittedly to receive magazines that ,are of greater width longitudinally'of the feed bar H2 than the magazines I04 and I06, respectively. These larger magazines hold buckles which, except for greater width longitudinally of the feed bar II2, are identical with the buckles 88 and 90, respectively. Thus, the larger top magazine I04a (Fig. which will fit in the notch I56 in the bracket I00 when the smaller magazine I04 and the insert I60 are removed therefrom, may hold buckles 88' which are of greater width than the buckles 88 (Fig. 7), but are otherwise like the latter. The larger, interchangeable lower magazine (not shown) may hold buckles which, except for greater width longitudinally of the feed bar II2, are identical with the buckles 90 in the lower magazine I06.

A holder 2I0 for adjustable straps is mounted on the bed plate of the apparatus, and comprises a bracket having a slotted portion 2I2 for engagement with a screw 2I4 by which said bracket may be adjustably secured in position, and a downwardly turned portion 2I6 which carries a socket 2I8 for a needle 220 on which the ends of the assembled straps may be impaled.

In using the present apparatus for the purpose of assembling a pair of buckles with straps and forming an adjustable loop inone of the straps, and assuming that the smaller magazines I04 and I06 are placed in the apparatus as shown, a double-eyelet buckle 83 and a singleeyelet buckle 90 are transferred from the magazines I04 and I06, respectively, to the described assembly station in their respective jaws E8 and I0, respectively, by depressing the pedal I34 and accordingly advancing the feed bar I I2, as above described. A strap section s is then placed over the lower jaws I0, and more particularly over the opening in the buckle 90 held thereby, whereupon the pedal 50 is depressed in order to cause blade 52 to engage the strap section s and force it through the opening in thebuckle 90. The

ends of the strap section s, which have in this manner been looped through the buckle 90, are then impaled on the needle 220 in the fashion shown in Fig. 10, so that the intermediate folded portion of the strap section 3 is held to one side of the opening in the buckle 90. The other strap section 5 is then threaded through the opening 224 of the buckle 88. To accomplishthis, the strap section s is first positioned below the top jaw 68 so as to be threadable through the buckle opening 224 by the hook 54. Thus, by lowering the bar 32 on depression of the pedal 50, the

hook 54 is projected through the eyelet opening I 224 in the buckle 88, and by positioning the strap section s so that the same is over the free end of the lowered hook, subsequent upward movement of the bar 32 on release of the pedal 50 causes the hook to move the strap section s through the buckle opening 224. A suitable length of the strap sections thus threaded through the opening 224 in the buckle 88 is positioned over the latter, after which the blade 52 is lowered into engagement with said overlying strap length and forces the latter through the other eyelet opening 226 in the buckle 88 and also through the eyelet opening in the lower of thehook 54, and is again'disposed in overlying relation with respect to the other opening226.=in"

the buckle 88. Finally, the blade 52 iszagain lowered to engage and force the last mentioned overlying portion of the strap section .9 through the opening 226 in the buckle 88, but not through the aligned opening in the lower buckle 90. In this manner, the two buckles 8B and are assembled with the strap sections 5 and s and an adjustable loop I is formed in the strap section 3 which is looped through both buckles. The buckles thus assembled with the strap sections are then removed from the jaws 68 and I0 and may be left suspended on the needle 220. The adjustable strap thus assembled is illustrated in Figs. 13 and 14. I

In order to assemble the wider buckles with Wider strap sections, itis merely necessary to replace the magazines I04 and I06 in the apparatus with the wider magazines, as described, and to substitute a wider blade and a wider hook (neither shown) for the blade 52 and hook 54, respectively, in the head 58.

Having thus described my invention,what I I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In apparatus of the character described having a track for a buckle, the combination of a mounting for interchangeable magazines which are of different widths but otherwise identical and adapted to hold buckles of different widths, respectively, said mounting comprising a socket and an insert removably mountable in said socket for decreasing the width thereof, whereby the socket of decreased width may fittedly receive the magazine of smaller width, and the socket may fittedly receive the magazine of greater width when said insert is removed from said socket.

2. In apparatus of the character described having a track for a buckle of a certain length, the

" said insert is mounted in and removed from said 4. In apparatus of the character described, the

combination with a substantially horizontal track in which a buckle is movable edgewise, a bucklesupply magazine having a lateral gate at one-end for edgewise discharge of the foremost buckle therefrom, and a socket open at the bottom and closed at the top for removably mounting said magazine in depending relation with said track, said socket being-so dimensioned that said one 2,526,187 7 magazine end fits therein and said' discharge gate REFERENCES CITED is in registry with said track when said one magazine end is seated against the top of said socket, of spring means urging said magazine with said one The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

end thereof upwardly into'seating engagement 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS with the top of said socket, said spring means Number N me Date solely retaining said magazine in said socket. 239 176 Alfandre Aug. 24, 1937 HARRY ALFANDRE. 2,222,033 Ineson Nov. 19, 1940 

